Three University of New Mexico employees are winners of the 2004 Gerald W. May Staff Recognition Award. UNM President Louis Caldera recognized the winners during a recent ceremony and presented a new plaque listing all recipients.
Photo (l. to r.): Laurie Mellas Ramirez, Lorraine Gutierrez and Sandrea Gonzales were recipients of the 2004 Gerald W. May Staff Recognition award. Staff Council President Steve Borbas, back, was the emcee for the event.
The 2004 recipients each received $500. Since its 1991 inception, 53 employees have received the award. Co-workers nominate employees each year. The award was created through the generosity of Gerald May, past UNM president.
Recipient Sandrea Gonzales has worked for the Women’s Resource Center for 14 years and served as director for five years. She created and raised funds for the Single Mothers Scholarship that will be awarded in 2005.
In nominating Gonzales, a co-worker stated, “Sandrea exudes qualities of professionalism, reliability, wisdom and untiring commitment to diversity and socially-conscious progress.”
Lorraine Guttierrez has coordinated events for 20 years at University House, the on-campus home of UNM presidents. She has assisted five presidential families in event planning and hosting. She began her career with little knowledge of cooking and since then has learned to cook most anything. Gutierrez works closely with president’s families on details of hosting special events. She has organized functions for movie stars, senators, governors, and numerous UNM regents, faculty, staff and students.
Laurie Mellas Ramirez is a senior public affairs representative, editor of Campus News and responsible for creation of a UNM expert’s guide for news media. Mellas Ramirez founded the work/life committee to provide more flexibility to employees as they balance work with outside responsibilities.
Her nomination by a co-worker states, “She spotlights the University’s many accomplishments, as well as championing the countless, dedicated UNM employees.”
Contact: Greg Johnston, (505) 277-1816
Associate Professor of Media Arts, Susan Dever, spent many of her Sunday afternoons this fall in the Frontier restaurant talking about presentations with her students. She mentored seven students in film, video and scholarship projects as they prepared to participate in the university’s first annual Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium.
Her students offered presentations in various media. They included Robert Russell, who presented “Blood Only Means What You Let It,” Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, who presented, “Out of the Box, Sifting Through the Celluloid,” Marty Lee Martinez, who presented, “Seasons of Memory,” Sarah Williams, who presented “Reclaiming the Images, Rick Shepardson who presented, “Life is Nonsense: The Conundrum of Art and Sciences,” Ben Popp, who presented “Imagination and Film, and presentations by Alex Andrews and Jeremy Foote.
Dever is the chairperson of the Media Arts Departments. Her prize, the “Tempur-Pedic, ‘You’ve Earned a Nap’ faculty award, was a mattress from the Tempur-Pedic company, one of the founding sponsors of the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627
The setting will be Regener Hall, rm. 103 at the University of New Mexico Saturday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. for an evening of fun, entertaining and enlightening displays of the physical sciences titled, “From Newton to Einstein: A show of physics demonstrations.” The event will feature the University of Oregon’s Stanley Micklavzina of “Dr. Stan’s Science Circus.”
Other presenters will include Steven Shropshire from Idaho State University and UNM’s Kathryn Dimiduk from the Physics and Astronomy department.
Physics – the science of waves and light can provide interesting and unique demonstrations of interest to all age groups. The presentations for the event have been carefully chosen to entertain
elementary and middle school age children. They have been woven into a theme to engage high school students and parents with the ideas and physics principles behind the demonstrations. It’s a show for all ages.
The event is presented by the American Association of Physics Teachers in conjunction with the celebration of the World Year of Physics 2005. It is free and open to the public.
Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821
The UNM Speech and Debate Society will be hosting the 2005 Lobo Howl High School Speech and Debate Tournament for high school students, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 7-8, 2005. Hundreds of students from high schools in the state, as well as hundreds of students from across the country will descend on the UNM campus for two days of competition in the state's largest speech and debate tournament.
Students will debate on issues dealing with current events and national policy, as well as performing humorous and dramatic interpretation pieces. This is the fourth year UNM has hosted this large national tournament and each year more students register to compete from all over the country.
The UNM Speech and Debate Society believes this tournament to be one of the most useful recruitment tools UNM has. Hundreds of the top high school students from around the country will visit the campus, many of them deciding where they want to attend college.
Since the Communication and Journalism Department cancelled the debate program, a group of students dedicated to keeping the program alive have made up the Speech and Debate Society. The UNM group does not have a budget large enough to compete in college level tournaments but wishes to keep forensics alive at UNM through community outreach projects, such as the Lobo Howl Tournament each January.
The Speech and Debate Society is looking for college students, faculty, staff, and community members to volunteer to judge at the tournament. The tournament is only a success with the generous help of volunteer judges. To run a successful program this size, hundreds of judges will be needed any times on Friday or Saturday. Free food will be provided to all judges.
If you are interested in judging at the Lobo Howl Speech and Debate Tournament, contact Trey Smith (Trey3@unm.edu or 277-5706).
Contact: Trey Smith (505) 277-5706
Assistant professor of English, Elizabeth Archuleta, is this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the Undergraduate Research & Creativity Symposium. Archuleta mentored seven undergraduate students in the first annual competition.
Her students included Marilyn Miller, who presented, “The Language of I.” K. Francisca Ortega, who presented “Culture, Storytelling and Growth in Latina Communities,” Mae Eye, who presented “Surviving Commodification,” Rebekah A. Horsechief, whose presented, “Contamination of Repatriated Items and the Repatriation Process,” Natahnee Winder, who presented “Blending Western Medicine with Traditional Healing,” Mireya Marie Cadena, who presented “Natural Healing,” and Karyth L. Becenti, who presented “Do We Determine Our Own Identify.”
In addition to the satisfaction, Archuleta also will receive $1,000 from University College. This is the first year that University College has sponsored a university-wide symposium to gather research from undergraduates throughout the institution into one event. Four hundred fifty students presented research in a wide variety of disciplines in the arts and sciences.
Dean of University College, Peter White says he expects next year’s event to draw even more interest from students and faculty.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627
“Creating a Better New Mexico,” a slideshow, discussion, brunch and booksigning featuring University of New Mexico Assistant Professor Mark Childs is scheduled Sunday, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. at Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Boulevard, N.W.
In his book, “Squares: A Public Places Design for Urbanists” (UNM Press, $45), Childs looks at playgrounds and street corners, courthouse squares and post office steps to help public policy makers and citizens understand the critical components of a good town.
Childs, director of the Design Planning Assistance Center in the UNM School of Architecture and Planning, has had extensive experience working with communities around New Mexico and globally assessing public spaces. In his book he reveals how cars, media, the natural environment, public art and safety impact urban spaces.
While Childs focuses on the urban environment, Tony Anella, author of “Saving the Ranch, Conservation Easements in the American West,” (Island Press, $30), will talk about rural open spaces.
Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of New Mexico, has been named to the James E. Scott National Academy for Leadership Advisory Board. The three-year appointment will begin in March 2005.
The James E. Scott National Academy for Leadership is a program of NASPA, the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Since its inception in 1994, the Scott National Academy for Leadership has focused on the continued professional education development needs of senior student affairs officers. The Scott National Academy for Leadership provides professional development opportunities across five curricular areas vital to the group:
· Executive Effectiveness
· Educator Effectiveness
· Personal Effectiveness
· Understanding Politics and Power
· Understanding the Power and Implications of Technology.
Torres’ responsibilities will include serving on the editorial board of the “Leadership Exchange” magazine, contributing to the strategic planning for Academy programs over the next three years, and possibly serving as a faculty member for the Academy leadership programs.
According to Torres, the appointment is a “very nice recognition of my long-time service in and commitment to Student Affairs, both as a provider of student services and as a sponsor of professional development programs for Student Service Personnel.”
Torres regularly sponsors staff and faculty internships within the Division of Student Affairs at UNM in order to help participants build greater expertise in providing student services in contexts they might not otherwise have the opportunity to develop.
More information about the National Academy for Leadership can be found at
NASPA For further information, please contact Tim Sawyer at 277-5299.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627
The New Mexico economy continued to expand at a moderate pace during the third quarter of 2004. Nonagricultural employment increased 2.1 percent, following a 2 percent gain in the second quarter of the year. Employment growth has been on a gradual incline since slipping to one percent in the second quarter of 2003. Personal income growth reached a robust 6.5 percent during the second quarter of 2004. The third quarter unemployment rate fell to 5.4 percent.
The economy added 16,400 net new jobs in the third quarter of 2004, compared to the same period last year. The largest contributor of jobs was again the health care and social assistance sector, which enjoyed an employment gain of 4,300 or 4.9 percent. Government, the largest sector, added 3,267 jobs, a 1.7 percent gain.
Although housing was off substantially, employment in the construction industry continued its recent pattern of substantial growth posting a 5.4 percent gain. In the mining sector, employment growth has held steady at close to 4 percent for the past four quarters, including 4.7 percent in the third quarter. Most of the gain was in oil and gas exploration and drilling, in response to continuing high-energy prices.
The outlook for the New Mexico economy is good, although not exceptional. Following 1.2 percent gains in both 2002 and 2003, nonagricultural employment growth will increase to 1.9 percent in 2004 and 2.3 percent in 2005. As has been the case for several years, the health care and social assistance industry will be a major provider of new jobs during the next couple of years.
In addition, the construction sector will continue to exhibit solid growth, manufacturing will return as a significant source of strength, and the government sector will exhibit moderate but consistent gains. Overall, the New Mexico economy is looking good in the near term, and will probably continue to out-perform the national economy.
For readers interested in keeping tabs on the New Mexico economy, the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at UNM has two publications available by subscription, a monthly summary of recent economic trends, and a quarterly economic forecasting newsletter. For more information call BBER Senior Economist Larry Waldman at (277-7077) or by e-mail lwaldman@unm.edu.
Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821
Researchers at the University of New Mexico have identified a 2.9 billion year-old lunar meteorite. The meteorite, found in Africa in 2000, was examined by a group of scientists in the Earth and Planetary Sciences department headed by Senior Research Scientist Lars Borg.
Photo: UNM's sample, obtained from the Natural History Museum in London, was named Northwest Africa 773 (NWA 773) describing the location where it was found.
The research titled, “Prolonged KREEP magmatism on the Moon indicated by the youngest dated lunar rock,” was featured in Nature magazine recently.
“We use geochronology to date lunar and Martian meteorites,” said Borg. “The sample looked interesting as soon as we started working on it.” Borg noted the project was group effort in the lab including Yemane Asmerom, Charles Shearer and James Papike.
NWA 773 is a 633-gram lunar meteorite composed of impact breccia containing an olivine-rich clast. The bulk of the clast sample was composed of olivine (48 percent) interpreted to be of igneous origin.
“It was a little piece of rock containing various minerals,” said Borg. “It’s not much different than what’s on earth.”
The last stage of crystallization of an ocean of lunar molten rock produced materials strongly enriched in incompatible elements and phosphorus and termed KREEP. The materials are typical of the moon’s western hemisphere with the geochemical identity. The decay in radioactive elements, most notably uranium and thorium, are thought to provide the thermal energy necessary for more recent lunar magmatism or what provided heat to melt the lunar rock.
A large amount of the naturally occurring radioactive isotopes samarium and neodymium, described as a parent/daughter relationship by Borg, enabled the team to date the meteorite.
Borg and the research team washed, sonicated and crushed part of the sample to help remove impurities and contaminants from the African desert.
“It allowed us to separate all other ‘junk’ found in the rock,” said Borg. “We used ion chromatography to separate out elements of interest.”
Based on a series of analytical procedures including the isotopic analyses, the age of NWA 773 was confirmed to be the youngest crystallization age from any previously dated lunar sample – by approximately 250 million years. The findings suggest that the KREEP source may be significantly more evolved than previous estimates suggested.
“At UNM we have a state-of-the-art laboratory to perform these types of studies. There is only one other lab in the world that can do the analyses at this level – NASA,” said Borg.
The research is funded through the NASA Cosmochemistry program.
Contact: Steve Carr, Sr. Public Affairs Representative, (505) 277-1821
The University of New Mexico will offer a bachelor’s degree in Native American studies beginning spring semester 2005. The UNM Board of Regents approved the curriculum at today’s meeting.
UNM joins approximately 35 institutions offering the native studies major, according to the Guide to Native American Studies Programs in the United States and Canada. UNM has offered a minor in native studies since 1999. The major has long been a goal – dating back to 1964 as a point of discussion in UNM Kiva club meetings.
A UNM major in Native American studies will require completion of 36 credit hours – 18 hours of required core courses, 12 hours of course work in a concentration area and six hours of upper division work. NAS faculty and affiliate faculty cut across disciplines at UNM. Required courses include an introduction to Native American studies, sociopolitical concepts, traditions of Native American philosophy, two courses on research methods, an internship or a semester of individual study.
“The major has a well-grounded foundation in research and applied experience. There is no reason why students at a Bachelor’s level should not be skillful researchers and know how to apply their knowledge in real life situations,” said Greg Cajete, UNM Native American Studies program director.
American Indian studies programs were created at a number of universities in the United States beginning in the late 1960s. UNM’s program was founded in 1970 as a support program for Native American students. In 1998, through the efforts of University College Dean Peter White, NAS became a full interdisciplinary academic program housed in University College.
A year later, a minor was formally approved. The department’s status outside the College of Arts and Sciences, although rare, allows for more service learning and community-based research, Cajete said.
According to a recent report from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, only four percent of the native population earns a bachelor's degree.
“We are trying to create a native learning community using native studies as a context for learning, teaching and research about the dynamic process of being Native American in a 21st century world,” Cajete said.
UNM provides an ideal setting for the bachelor’s program, he added. The university is situated near one of the country’s largest Native American population centers. The university is also unique among higher education institutions in that it employs more than 30 Native American faculty in tenure track positions and approximately 250 Native American staff. In addition, UNM has approximately 3,000 Native American students “making it one of the largest concentrations of Native American students in a university in the country,” Cajete said.
The NAS degree areas of concentration include: interdisciplinary culture and environmental studies; education and language; arts and literature. A fourth area has been added to emphasize the program’s strength in teaching leadership and self-determination. Courses cover native nation building, treaties and agreements, politics of identity and contemporary approaches to federal Indian law.
“It has been a long journey to reach this point and I wish to thank everyone, students, faculty, staff, administrators and tribal leaders – past and present – who have added their voice or otherwise assisted in the realization of this important goal,” Cajete said. “The passage of the NAS-BA degree proposal by the UNM Board of Regents marks an important new era in New Mexico Indian education. Our collective wish is for a bright and prosperous future for this program at UNM.”
Contact: Laurie Mellas Ramirez, Sr. Public Affairs Representative, (505) 277-5915
University of New Mexico College of Arts and Sciences Dean Reed Dasenbrock recently named UNM Professor of Law Jennifer Moore director of the UNM Peace Studies Program for a two-year term. Moore also serves as New Mexico chancellor for the U.S. chapter of the International Association of Educators for World Peace.
Photo: Jennifer Moore (r.) was named director of the UNM Peace Studies Program recently. Christine Rack, pictured with Moore, was appointed assistant director and program advisor.
Before joining the UNM law faculty in 1995, Moore worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She earned a Fulbright Scholarship to teach international law at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania in 2002-03.
Moore, associate dean for student affairs at the law school, plans to boost student enrollment in the program’s minor and involve additional faculty. Adjunct sociology faculty Christine Rack has been appointed assistant director and program advisor.
Moore fills a role left vacant for many years. In the early 1980s, a group of peace advocates including UNM Provost Mack Hull and Professor of Philosophy Ted Sturm founded the program. Sturm served as advisor until recently.
Born of the pacifist movement, peace programs appeared in U.S. academia in the 1930s. Creation of the atomic bomb mid-century intensified national interest in alternatives to war and conflict, including among nuclear scientists. Peace Studies is about more than war and peace, though. Conflict occurs at all levels – from domestic violence to state clashes over resources to nations in full-fledged combat. Educating students about these variations, the underlying causes of conflict and the methodology and practice of conflict resolution are at the root of academic programs.
“At the college level, more than 200 Peace Studies programs exist today,” Rack said. “UNM’s has no assigned curriculum but draws from related coursework across 15 departments. We marry academics with the practice of engaging community partners to make our program truly interdisciplinary and innovative.”
Peace Studies offers a minor and sponsors colloquia, lectures and panel presentations on issues of war, peace and reconciliation. Goals are to encourage scholarly inquiry and provide venues for respectful discussion. A 12-15 member program committee is elected by the program membership made up of faculty, students, staff and community partners. All members have full participating and voting rights, except those decisions regarding curricular modifications and amendments to bylaws, which were recently created and approved.
“The active participation of program members is essential to a vital Peace Studies program. It embodies the spirit of collective decision-making [and serves to] model peace-making activities at the University, community and global level,” the bylaws state.
Promoting the peace is a lofty target, but both new appointees are up to the task. At UNM since 2001, Rack earned a Ph.D. in sociology. Her Popejoy prize-winning dissertation on ethnicity and gender will be published by Routledge in 2005. This semester, Rack co-taught in the Freshman Learning Community “Conflict and Reconciliation” with Kathy Domenici, a mediator-facilitator.
Rack was instrumental in the search for a director. Finding a tenured faculty member to take on additional duties led to Moore, renowned for human rights work.
“Jenny is a miracle. She is impeccably qualified, amazingly gracious and kind. Everyone likes her because they sense her integrity, humility and warmth,” Rack said.
Moore’s interest in refugee issues began as a student at Amherst College. During law school at Harvard, she spent a summer conducting field research on the protection of Salvadoran refugees in Honduras for Catholic Relief Services. Moore continues to take on occasional projects for the U.N.
Of her new appointment, Moore remarked, “I’m active with my belief that things need to be better. It does take energy and support for that to happen.”
“By committing ourselves to peace on earth and treating one another as we would in that peaceful world we help it come into being,” Moore said.
Peace is an agenda off campuses as well. A call for a Department of Peace at the federal level was first introduced in 2001 and, like the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery, is re-introduced each year. New Mexico, known for its national labs, also has a national reputation for work on peace and conflict resolution. In 2004, the New Mexico legislature passed Senate Memorial 22 supporting a state Department of Peace. In the upcoming session, Sen. Cisco McSorley will sponsor a bill proposing an Office of Peace.
Peace certificate offered at UNM-Taos
Barri Sanders, UNM-Taos adjunct professor, moved to Taos five years ago after retiring from teaching international relations and development at the University of Maryland. Missing student contact, she approached UNM-Taos about offering a peace certificate. To earn the certificate, students are required to take 30 hours of interdisciplinary courses in topics ranging from psychology and interpersonal relations to global peace, Sanders said.
“Because the courses cover behavioral psychology, group dynamics and an international perspective, students are receiving input from diverse disciplines,” Sanders said.
Students pursuing the certificate are freshmen and sophomores. They learn about personal behavior as well as social behaviors and even delve into cross-cultural mediation. “They can apply their knowledge in the areas of family studies, communication studies and education, among others,” she said.
Students have reaped the benefit of earning the peace certificate. “We actually had recipients have better job opportunities because employers recognize their training in non-violent problem solving and mediation,” she said.
Sanders is also developing an advanced peace scholar certificate. Another goal is to have the peace certificate noted on students’ transcripts.
# # #
Contact: Laurie Mellas Ramirez, (505) 277-5915
The 2005 Breast Friends Calendar is a labor of love among some great women in New Mexico. The idea behind the calendar was for some influential women to have fun while raising money for the University of New Mexico Cancer Research & Treatment Center (CRTC).
Each calendar is $10 and all funds raised will go directly to the CRTC breast cancer research programs.
Calendars are available for sale at Articles for Her, Bookworks, Borders Books & Café, Bound To Be Read, Casa Esperanza, Indulgences Café & Catering, Model Pharmacy, Page One Bookstores, People Living Through Cancer, Ruby Shoesday Shoe & Handbag Boutique & Jack Flash Urban Boutique, UNM College of Nursing, UNM College of Pharmacy, UNM Cancer Research & Treatment Center, UNM Bookstore, UNM North Campus Medical/Legal Bookstore, UNM Hospital Gift Shop and Viola & Company.
The CRTC is New Mexico’s premier cancer center supported by the State of New Mexico and the National Cancer Institute to conduct innovative research and deliver state-of-the-art patient care. CRTC works to reduce the incidence of cancer in New Mexico, decrease cancer mortality and contribute to the world’s understanding of cancer.
With a staff of over 300, including more than 150 physicians and research scientists, CRTC maintains a vigorous clinical research program, participates in clinical trials and compiles and tracks data on all cancer cases affecting the state’s diverse population.
Contact: Angela Heisel, 272-3651
Bob King, known as the “Architect of Lobo Basketball,” passed away this morning at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Albuquerque. He was 81. King was born Aug. 24, 1923, in Gravity, Iowa. He is survived by his wife, Sharel, plus four sons (Gary, Larry, Brad and Randy) and two daughters (Cris and Dianne).
Services will be held Wednesday, Dec. 15, at 11 a.m. at The Pit. The services are open to the public. Burial will be at the Santa Fe National Cemetery at a time and date to be announced.
The University will observe a moment of silence for King before tonight’s women’s basketball game against Bowling Green and again Sunday afternoon prior to the men’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
King came to the University of New Mexico prior to the 1962-63 academic year after serving three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa. He compiled an overall mark of 175-89 at UNM, and never had a losing record in 10 seasons. Before King’s arrival, the Lobos had endured eight straight losing seasons. He remains the second-winningest coach in school history.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the King family during this difficult time,” said current UNM head coach Ritchie McKay, whose father, Joe, played for King as a senior in 1962-63. “We’re very mindful of coach King’s legacy. I’m one of the proud benefactors of the values and principles he instilled, and the impact he made on his players and peers.”
King led UNM to a pair of Western Athletic Conference titles in 1964 and ‘68. The Lobos made three NIT appearances, including the finals in 1964, and the school’s first NCAA Tournament in 1968. King produced 10 all-WAC performers and two All-Americans in Mel Daniels and Ron Nelson.
“More than 40 years ago, Bob King had a vision for the University of New Mexico,” said UNM director of athletics Rudy Davalos. “And, it’s a vision that all Lobo fans have to this day. The success the basketball programs have enjoyed - both men’s and women’s - is a direct result of the foundation he laid for future coaches and players. I really enjoyed my association with Bob and his family over the past 12 years. He was a classy gentlemen who will be missed by many people, but never forgotten.”
Arguably, King’s biggest accomplishment was the building of University Arena, or The Pit as it’s widely known, after UNM began winning under his auspices. Playing at 7,000-seat Johnson Gym when King arrived on campus, UNM’s attendance doubled in his first three years. School officials knew a bigger arena was needed.
The Pit opened on Dec. 1, 1966, when the Lobos beat Abilene Christian. Original seating capacity was 14,831, which made The Pit one of the largest collegiate arenas in the country at that time. The cost was an incredibly economical $1.4 million.
Arena expansion was undertaken when it became apparent that fan interest was too great even for the original structure. The new mezzanine expansion in 1975 added 2,300 seats at a cost of $2.2 million. Reserved standing-room-only spots increase The Pit’s capacity to 18,018, which it remains to this day.
On October 2, 1992, University of New Mexico President Richard E. Peck announced that the court at University Arena would be named in honor of Bob King. The Bob King Court was dedicated at formal ceremonies on Dec. 1, 1992.
"We wanted to recognize Coach King’s contributions to Lobo basketball," Peck said at the time. "UNM’s Memorial Committee recommended that we honor Coach King’s accomplishments, and the naming of the court has allowed us to do so without diminishing the recognition which has already been paid to his colleagues, including former Director of Athletics Pete McDavid. The Bob King Court and the Pete McDavid Lounge are a tribute to two of the men who are responsible for the success of the facility we fondly call The Pit."
Since The Pit opened 38 years ago, New Mexico has finished in the top-15 in the nation in average attendance every year. The Lobo men’s team has drawn 10,612,604 fans for 675 games, an average of 15,722 a game. The men have an all-time record of 543-132.
“I always felt to follow in the shadow and footsteps of Bob (King) and Norm (Ellenberger) was a privilege for me coming from a smaller school like Pepperdine,” said Gary Colson, UNM’s head coach for eight seasons from 1980-88. “It was a real streak of luck that I got to the University of New Mexico. My deepest regrets to the King family. He was a great coach and a great man.”
King was also responsible for the creation of the Lobo Invitational, UNM’s post-Christmas tournament now in its 39th year and the fifth-oldest regular season tournament in the nation.
New Mexico’s annual Most Valuable Player award is also named in his honor, the Bob King MVP Award for men’s basketball.
One of the most recognized venues in all of sports, The Pit in 1999 was recognized by Sports Illustrated as one of the top-20 sporting venues of the 20th century. The University of New Mexico has played host to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament eight times, including the 1983 Final Four, and the women’s tournament the past two years. UNM will host the 2005 Albuquerque Regional for the men and the 2006 Women’s West Regional.
“I was very sad to learn of coach Bob King’s passing today,” said New Mexico State head coach Lou Henson. “We have lost a dear friend and a tremendous basketball coach. I followed Bob’s teams for many years and of course we played against his teams when I was at New Mexico State. Bob King is the one that really brought big-time basketball to the State of New Mexico. He was such a classy individual and a great person. Our hearts go out to Sharel and the King family.”
Bob King’s Record at New Mexico
Year...WAC...All (Finish)...Postseason
1962-63...4-6...16-9 (4th)
1963-64...7-3...23-6 (T1st)...NIT Championship Game
1964-65...5-5...19-8 (T2nd)...NIT
1965-66...4-6...16-8 (5th)
1966-67...5-5...19-8 (T3rd)...NIT
1967-68...8-2...23-5 (1st)...NCAA
1968-69...4-6...17-9 (T5th)
1969-70...7-7...13-13 (T5th)
1970-71...4-10...14-12 (7th)
1971-72...7-7...15-11 (T4th)
King was also head coach at Indiana State for three seasons from
1975-78, compiling a 61-24 record. His overall career mark was 236-113 (.676) in 13 years as a head coach.
BOB KING (1923-2004)
AS AN ATHLETE
• All-State basketball player at Gravity (Iowa) High School
• A member of the University of Iowa’s freshman team and graduated from Iowa in three years
EDUCATION
• Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Iowa in 1947
• Master’s degree in Educational Guidance and Psychology from Drake University in 1957
AS A COACH
• 205-75 record in 12 years at Britt and Algona HS in Iowa, and West High in Rockford, Ill.
• Assistant coach at Iowa (1959-62) under Sharm Scheuerman
AS AN ADMINISTRATOR
• Assistant Athletics Director at University of New Mexico (1972-73)
• Athletics Director at Indiana State University (1974-80)…the Sycamores and Larry Bird advanced to the NCAA Championship in 1979 before losing to Michigan State in the finals…during his tenure, King elevated the Indiana State football program to Division I status, ISU gained admittance to the Missouri Valley Conference and interest and attendance improved at ISU basketball games
SPECIAL HONORS, CONTRIBUTIONS
• Officer in the Air Force (1943-46)
• Inducted into Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame (1982)
• Inducted into UNM Athletic Hall of Honor (1987)
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to:
Lobo Legacy - Bob King Family Endowment
UNM Foundation
MSC07-4260
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
New Mexico Congresswoman Heather Wilson is scheduled to give the commencement address at the University of New Mexico's 2004 Fall Commencement Ceremony Friday, Dec. 17, at 6 p.m. in the University Arena (“The Pit”).
Some 1,704 students are projected to receive degrees as follows: 1,276 bachelor's degrees, 320 master's degrees, one post-master's, 77 doctorates, nine juris doctorates, one graduate certificate, eight medical doctorates, nine pharmacy doctorates and three education specialists.
Richard W. Holder, deputy provost and professor of chemistry, will serve as master of ceremonies.
The University Band with Dan Kinsman, conductor, will play a selection of music for the ceremony's prelude and processional. Cody Wesner, a soprano pursuing her master's degree in vocal performance will sing the national anthem.
UNM President Louis Caldera will offer greetings followed by the commencement address delivered by Wilson. Serving the First Congressional District since 1998, Wilson is the first woman since Georgia Lusk in 1948 to serve in Congress from New Mexico. She is the first Air Force Academy graduate and the only woman veteran in Congress.
Provost Brian Foster will recognize honors graduates followed by the student address delivered by Sean Murray who is receiving his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. Murray was awarded the Harry S. Truman scholarship in 2004 for his work in public service and leadership potential. As captain and right fielder of the UNM baseball team, Murray founded a peer-mentoring program in the athletic department. He also founded the I CAN Kids Camp to provide at-risk youth with an opportunity to play Little League.
The platform group will include UNM Board of Regents President James H. Koch, Doug Brown and Maria Griego Raby.
The conferring of degrees in course by President Caldera will be followed by Regent Koch offering congratulatory remarks. Wesner will then lead the singing of the alma mater followed by the processional.
In conjunction with commencement, several schools and colleges scheduled convocations for Saturday, Dec. 18. For more information, visit the fall commencement Web site, linked off the UNM homepage, www.unm.edu , click at lower left hand corner.
Contact: Laurie Mellas Ramirez, (505) 277-5915
The LodeStar Astronomy Center is offering a day camp called "Blast Off to Saturn!" The camps will be held Dec. 27-30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The camp, designed for kindergarten through third grade students, offers a full day of educational and recreational activities centered around the ringed planet Saturn and the Cassini spacecraft mission. The same lesson plan is presented each day.
The fun-filled, educational and action-packed day camp includes:
* Saturn Play Station
* Opportunity to make new friends
* The Search for Life planetarium feature
* Build a Saturn spacecraft
* Motion simulator ride with the dinosaurs
* Mission to Saturn story time
* Planet walk in the park
* Mystery moons of Saturn scavenger hunt
* NASA Connect viedo story
* Sparkling Rings of Saturn group model
* Saturn sundaes ice cream art
The cost for the day-long camp is $45, but UNM employees receive a 10 percent discount on camp tuition. A brochure/application for the camp is available on LodeStar's website at LodeStar Astronomy Center.
LodeStar is a UNM community outreach project located in the New
Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science at 1801 Mountain Road NW.
For information call 841-5975.
Contact: Contact: Karen Keese, (505) 841-5972 or (505) 261-0040
History in New Mexico has shown the great impact of traditional Hispanic midwives and healers, also known as cuandera-parteras, even before New Mexico was a state. In San Miguel County in northeastern New Mexico, it was documented that, in 1936, curandera-parteras attended 701 of 972 births (72 percent).
While current New Mexico nurse-midwives aren’t delivering 72 percent of babies, certified nurse-midwives (CNM) attend 32 percent of births making New Mexico the leader in the United States of CNM attended births with the next state reporting at 15 percent.
Documentary creator Felina Ortiz, CNM, MSN, and a 2003 College of Nursing grad, believes this is because the spirit of the cuandera-parteras lives on, hence the title of her film “El Espiritu de les Parteras,” which means “the spirit of the midwives”.
Cuandera-parteras usually gained experience by being the apprentice of a grandmother or older female relative rather than through formal education. For many expectant mothers in rural New Mexico they were the only source of prenatal and maternity care.
“It wasn’t until the1930’s that the New Mexico Department of Health realized that because of limited available physicians, poor road conditions, cultural preference, and poverty, the cuandera-parteras services were vital to the mothers and babies of New Mexico,” Ortiz said.
This began a valuable relationship with the cuandera-parteras and the state through a Midwife Consultant Program. Through this program, the midwifes were taught when to ask for a doctor help and sanitation practices that could make an impact on birth outcomes. For the documentary, Ortiz interviewed the last surviving cuandera-partera that the state recognizes, Jesusita Aragon, who told her how much these classes helped her as a midwife. According to Ortiz, by the 1940s over 800 cuandera-parteras were registered with the state.
The agreeable and effective working relationship achieved between curandera-parteras and public health in this time-period helped create the positive support for midwifery that is apparent in New Mexico today.
Barbara Overman, CNM, PhD, an associate professor and former director of the New Mexico Midwifery education program at the University of New Mexico, also believes that much of New Mexico's acceptance of midwives today derives from the strong roots of midwifery that the curandera-parteras created.
Overman states that the Nurse-Midwifery education program has been consistently funded since 1998 and that the positive support from individual New Mexico legislators in some cases came from personal experiences with curandera-parteras or midwives. “Legislative leaders were pleased to tell me of their own births by curandera-parteras while lobbying for midwifery education support,” she said.
Overman believes this link between New Mexico’s legislators and curandera-parteras is one reason New Mexico’s Nurse-Midwives enjoy independent practice and prescriptive authority today.
The premiere of the film celebrating the work of traditional New Mexican midwives and healers will be on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2004 at the College of Nursing Auditorium, 2502 Marble Ave, N.E. For more information call (505) 242-4104.
The presentation is free, but donations to the Albuquerque Kapulli Izkalli House, a clinic in the South Valley that offers women’s health care in a traditional setting, will be gratefully accepted.
Contact: Angela Heisel, (505) 272-3651
UNM and the Center for Research and Development in Electrochemistry, A.C. (CIDETEQ), signed an agreement recently to enter into a partnership for collaborative activities. CIDETEQ is located in Querétaro in Central Mexico.
Photo: Terry Yates, left, UNM vice president for research and economic development; Raúl Ortega, executive director, CIDETEQ; and Fred Mondragón, director of the City of Albuquerque's office of economic development, signed a partnership agreement between UNM and the Center for Research and Development in Electrochemistry, A.C. (CIDETEQ).
Among the purposes of the agreement are to foster new associations between CIDETEQ and UNM, to generate awareness within each institution of the other’s capabilities and to enhance public awareness of the many benefits derived from the close relationship between the entities.
Areas of cooperation covered by the agreement are water and energy programs, materials and electrochemistry, student and faculty exchanges, courtesy joint appointments, national laboratory communications, commercial activities, advanced degree programs, crossover of technical areas of mutual interest, and others.
An intent of the agreement is to promote exchanges resulting in economic development on both sides of the border.
“New Mexico does partnerships well. We have good cooperation with Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories and with industry,” said Joe Cecchi, dean, UNM School of Engineering.
“Technology developed through engineering only matters if it results in products people can use,” he said. He added that it is incumbent upon all parties to continue with the momentum established through the agreement signing.
The same day, CIDETEQ, the City of Albuquerque and local advanced engineering firm Team Specialty Products also signed an agreement. Mayor Martin Chávez signed the agreement for the city.
“As part of our objectives to promote and position Albuquerque as a source for value-added services and products, we are eager to develop concrete partnerships internationally by promoting institutions in our city, such as UNM, as strong examples of our niche infrastructures,” Chávez cited UNM’s strong research programs in the School of Engineering.
Contacts: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920
The UNM SUB will host the third bi-annual Midnight Breakfast this semester on Sunday, Dec. 12. Breakfast will be served from 10 p.m to midnight at Bene Pizza & Pasta on the south side of the SUB Mall Level. Midnight Breakfast t-shirts will be given away to every fifth person in line for breakfast.
Photo: Walt Miller, associate vice president for Student Development and director of the SUB (upper left), and his administration staff serve students bacon, pancakes and tortillas during the Spring 2004 Midnight Breakfast.
The ASUNM Southwest Film Center is showing “A Christmas Story” at 8 p.m. for UNM students. Free massages will also be available starting at 9 p.m. outside the SUB Ballroom. “cUeNM” Game Room in the SUB is offering free pool from 7 p.m. to midnight.
All of these events are provided free of charge by the SUB for any student with a valid UNM I.D. card. Students are encouraged to take a break from studying to eat and relax. The SUB administration staff will serve students during the breakfast.
The SUB began hosting Midnight Breakfast in order to thank the student body for their support of the building throughout each year. Call 277-2331 with any questions or visit the SUB Web site at: Student Union Building for more information.
Steve Beffort has been appointed as the new associate vice president for facilities management at the university. His first assignment will be to develop a strategic facilities master plan that will address the needs of UNM as it navigates a period of rapid expansion.
“It is essential that the university’s facilities be aligned to meet future needs,” said UNM President Louis Caldera said. “Developing a long range facility master plan will be a considerable undertaking – one that will engage the entire university community.”
Beffort will serve as the senior administrator responsible for providing strategic leadership, coordination and integration of all facilities-related functions across the university, including the main campus, the Health Sciences Center and the branches. He will also oversee all of the operations of the physical plant, facilities planning and real estate.
“We have found an individual in Mr. Beffort with extraordinary interpersonal skills, an extensive background in facilities management and planning, and previous managerial experience at the highest executive levels, said David Harris, executive vice president for Administration. “This position is a major step forward in the university’s facilities management program and I am confident that Mr. Beffort is up to the challenge.”
Beffort has been the executive director of the Center for Support of Economic Development at UNM’s Anderson Schools of Management. Prior to coming to UNM, he served as secretary of the New Mexico General Services Department for eight years and developed and implemented a strategic plan for state owned and leased properties. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and more than 35 years of executive level experience.
Contacts: Susan McKinsey, (505) 277-1989 or Susan Carkeek, (505) 277-5824
“When I was 13…I …took a whole bottle of aspirin because I wanted to die. I didn’t want to be alive. I didn’t want to be here.” -- Desiree (15 years old)
New Mexico’s suicide rates have historically been nearly twice the national rate and suicide is the third leading cause of death among New Mexico youth. Statistics from 2001 indicate that one in five adolescents in New Mexico had seriously considered killing themselves and one in ten had attempted suicide.
Now a major project to educate teens, parents and educators about the signs and symptoms of youth depression and suicide will be launched this December presented by the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, the Department of Health, the Human Services Department, and the Public Education Department in association with Cooperative Educational Services, Competitive Benefits Administrators, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, New Mexico Parent Teacher Association, New Mexico Suicide Prevention Coalition, the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators, KNME TV, KOAT TV, KRWG TV, KENW TV and The Albuquerque Journal.
On Wednesday, Dec. 15 from 7 to 7:30 p.m. the New Mexico PBS stations (KNME-TV Albuquerque/Santa Fe - Ch. 5, KRWG-TV Las Cruces - Ch. 22 and KENW-TV Portales - Ch. 3) will air a 30-minute documentary, “Coming Back: A death and life story about sons, daughters and friends.” told from the viewpoint of teens who have attempted suicide. From 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. the stations will air a follow up program that will include discussion about prevention of youth suicide from parents, educators and community perspectives. On Thursday, December 16 from 8 to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 18 from 4 to 5 p.m. ABC stations including KOAT-TV 7, and its sister stations, will repeat the hour long broadcast.
UNM's Agora was consulted regarding the content of the documentary. Agora volunteers and staff are featured and the Agora Helpline will be listed as a referral and helpline during the second half hour "phone bank" portion.
"This has the opportunity for our service to become much more widely known to everyone in the state," said Agora's Public Relations Director Jeremy Jaramillo. "We also hope to once again show how much UNM cares for our community."
Discussion of suicide and depression is not easy or simple. But the warning signs of suicide can be recognized, understood and addressed by loved ones. A think tank of experts working over the past two years have donated research, guidance and insight into the specific approach for communication and outreach that can be used most effectively in New Mexico based on current programs and opportunities.
The project focuses on suicide prevention and empowering family and peer friends throughout the community with tools to help. These tools will include specific information and warning signs so that those most likely to have contact with potential victims of suicide (teen peers) will know when to take action and ways to help. The primary voice in the program will be that of young people, those who have attempted suicide and those who have been affected by it.
The elements of the project include:
* 30 Minute Broadcast Documentary
* 30 Minute Live Follow-up Show Broadcast immediately after the documentary
* 30 Minute Training Tape for Educators disseminated through all the public schools in NM
* 30 Minute Educational Tape for Families disseminated through NM PTA Series of Informational/Promotional commercials Curriculum Guide for use with the Documentary.
The project is a unique collaboration of several state departments. According to Gov. Bill Richardson, “Through this project, we hope to create a new awareness and understanding of youth suicide and depression and give communities throughout the state tools that will enable them to intervene and help prevent this terrible tragedy.”
Executive Producer Chris Schueler and Christopher Productions head up this multi-level project. John Lawrence of KNME-TV, Taz Painter of KOAT-TV and Schueler are producing the follow up program.
“When you see the statistics and you talk with the families, the suicide survivors, you know we have a devistating problem,” says Schueler. “But when you meet the incredible advocates and the people in the trenches, the non-profits groups and the state experts – when you see the enthusiasm and expertise of folks throughout the state – and when you’re able to combine that with the power of ABC and PBS television stations around the state, plus the Albuquerque Journal – you know we have an opportunity to help solve this problem. As a company and as individuals, we are honored to be working to help save the lives of our youth in the New Mexico.”
“This unique collaboration affords KNME and KOAT the opportunity to combine and focus their collective resources, convening a statewide look at, and a discussion about, youth suicide, which is an extremely difficult subject to tackle,” said Ted A Garcia, KNME-TV general manager and chief executive officer.
Mary Lynn Roper, President and General Manager of KOAT-TV echos a similar sentiment, "Many of us have noted, year after year, that teen suicide is a huge and very sad issue for New Mexico. KOAT welcomes the opportunity to provide a forum for discussing solutions to this devastating problem and not just report the aftermath."
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Beginning in early December, viewers will be able to log onto the Web sites of KNME-TV KNMEand KOAT-TV The New Mexico Channel.com, or Christopher Productions Christopher Productions and be linked to facts, statistics and organizations where questions may be asked and help found through an on line curriculum guide.
THE FOLLOWING PROJECT PARTICIPANTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS:
Chris Schueler, President
Christopher Productions
Phone: 505-837-1770
Cell: (505) 450-9995
Email: chris@christopherproductions.org
www.christopherproductions.org
Steve Adelsheim, MD, Director
NM School Mental Health Programs
Office of School Health, Department of Health
Phone: 841-5879
Cell: 505-220-2280
Email: stevea@doh.state.nm.us
Michelle Linn-Gust, Co-chair
NM Suicide Prevention Coalition
Phone: 266-3134
Cell: 401-1954
Email: chelleheadworks@aol.com
JoAnne Sartorius, Co-chair
NM Suicide Prevention Coalition
Phone 982-1002
Email: JoAnn@NewMexico.com
Cynthia Gonzales, Executive Director
NM Suicide Intervention Project
Phone: 505-820-1066
Fax 505-983-0833
Email: NMSIP@aol.com
Molly McCoy Brack
Agora Crisis Center
Phone: 505-277-0749
Fax: 505-277-7519
Email: mollyb@unm.edu
Contacts: Chris Schueler, (505) 837-1770; Evy Todd, 277-1218 or Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920
Solar astronomer Dr. Han Uitenbroek of the National Solar Observatory will present a lecture titled, "Too Cool: Mysteries of the Sun's COmosphere," Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 7 p.m. in the LodeStar Astronomy Center planetarium theater. LodeStar is located in the Museum of Natural History at 1801 Mountain Road N.W., Old Town Albuquerque.
Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors (age 60+), $3 children (ages 3 to 12). The talk is part of the "Voices in Science" lecture series co-presented by LodeStar and the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.
Uitenbroek will discuss a surprising discovery in solar astronomy -- the abundance of carbon monoxide (CO) in the Sun's atmosphere.
The unexpectedly large quantities of CO in the otherwise hot middle layer of
the solar atmosphere--the "chromosphere"--suggest that the layer is
significantly colder than previously thought. Uitenbroek will explain the
implications of what solar scientists now jokingly call the "COmosphere."
Before joining the staff at the National Solar Observatory in Sunspot, Uitenbroek worked as an astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and as a research assistant at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands.
For information call 505-841-5972 or visit LodeStar Astronomy Center.
Contact: Contact: Karen Keese, (505) 841-5972 or (505) 261-0040
Talk about getting wrapped up in your work...
A world premiere of the Discovery Channel’s “Mummy Autopsy” will be held at UNM, Monday, Dec. 6 at 5:30 & 7 p.m. in the Southwest Film Center in the Student Union Building. Graduate students James Murrell (left) and Ken Nystrom, who are featured in the TV series, will be present to speak about their roles as mummy investigators. The showings are free and open to the public.
The UNM students will be seen worldwide as they travel to exotic destinations for “Mummy Autopsy,” premiering on TV at 7 p.m. on Dec. 7. The show's creators say their aim is to “put flesh on the bones” and to recreate the lives of the long dead.
Murrell and Nystrom are part of a five-member team of mummy investigators, who travel across continents to conduct research on mummies, some of which have lain forgotten for centuries. The 13-part, one-hour series tracks mummy experts as they investigate ancient findings.
Murrell in the second year of doctoral studies at the UNM College of Education, is trained as a radiologic technologist. Early in his career, he traveled with a group to South America to perform x-rays on the remains of native Andean mummies.
Nystrom is nearing completion of his doctorate studies in biological anthropology and teaches biology at Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute. His UNM advisor, anthropology professor Jane Buikstra, was contacted by the show's producers earlier in the year and recommended Nystrom for the television show. Coincidentally, Murrell was chosen too.
“My job was to try to answer some of the fundamental questions that were raised about the mummies,” Nystrom said. “Like who they may have been, what they may have done and how they may have been mummified.” He conducted his work in Greece, Italy, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. “My primary experience has been with South American mummies, so it was really exciting to see Egyptian mummies for the first time.”
Murrell hit the ground running in London in mid-May and spent only nine days home during his hectic summer. He returned to Albuquerque on the first day of classes at UNM, after having been awake for more than 25 hours, following his final mummy investigation in Rio de Janeiro.
The mummy experts examined scars, burns and clothing, and looked at body stature and tooth wear. Samples were collected for DNA testing and carbon dating. Strontium isotopes were used to determine the mummy's origin. Murrell said strontium naturally occurs in soils, which becomes incorporated into teeth. So teeth were removed and sent to local labs for testing.
Investigations were conducted without cutting the mummies open. X-rays helped determine age and sex. CT scans were used to look at organs that were left in the body to determine the presence of pathologies, any trauma and to provide noninvasive information about mummification techniques.
Nystrom said the producers worked hard to maintain the scientific integrity of the investigations. Recreations of perceived historical events were also filmed for the show. The series was conceived and produced by Atlantic Productions in London, U.K.
“Archeology, excuse the pun, can be a little dry,” Nystrom said “We're trying to recapture a little bit of how these people actually lived to give the audience something they may not have seen before.”
Contact: Greg Johnston, (505) 277-1816
President Louis Caldera appointed William “Bill” Adkins Chief Information Officer at the University of New Mexico recently. Adkins has been at UNM since 1980, most recently serving as interim associate vice president of IT. “It will take someone familiar with the University community to be able to quickly and effectively implement this new information structure and Mr. Adkins is the ideal person to take on this new leadership role,” said Caldera.
Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a new position at UNM created to provide university-wide leadership and integration for information systems. In addition, the CIO will chair an “IT Cabinet” put in place to bring together IT constituents from across the university to address this critical institutional issue. The new IT structure was put in place after an extensive campus review and represents a completely new approach to address the increasing needs for information technology across the campus.
Adkins received a BBA in Management from Lamar University (1973) in Beaumont, Texas and master’s of Computing Sciences from Texas A&M University (1974). Hired as an Analyst/Programmer III at UNM in 1980, Adkins has been interim associate vice president of IT since March 2002.
Moira Gerety will replace Adkins as UNM’s interim director of Information Technology Services. Gerety will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the university’s Computer Information Resources and Technology Center (CIRT). She has two degrees from UNM including a bachelor’s in university studies and a master’s in business administration from the Robert O. Anderson Graduate Schools of Management. Gerety also has 18 years of senior information technology experience.
For the last seven years, Gerety has held executive level positions with the State of New Mexico, the Public Service Company of New Mexico and Sunsoft Corporation. Adkins and Gerety both start their new positions Dec. 6, 2004.
Contact: Susan McKinsey, (505) 277-1989
The Management Development Center at UNM’s Anderson Schools of Management will host a free information session for prospective students interested in the Executive MBA (EMBA) Program. The event will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the State Bar of New Mexico, 5121 Masthead N.E., at the Journal Center.
The Executive MBA program offers a master’s degree in business administration for experienced managers with a desire to sharpen their skills in order to compete in today’s business environment. The program is designed for high-potential executives, professionals, middle managers and entrepreneurs who hold undergraduate degrees in any field and have at least three years of significant work experience.
The two-year program begins once each year in late June; classes are held on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings on alternating weekends. The Anderson Schools are accredited by the AACSB International, a distinction held by only the top 20 percent of business schools in the country.
To reserve a seat at the information session or to request an EMBA program brochure, contact the Management Development Center at 277-2525 or by email at emba@mgt.unm.edu.
Contact: Mickey Byrd, (505) 277-2525
The University of New Mexico’s Science & Technology Corporation is showing promise to be the economic engine for the state that regents envisioned when they founded it in 1995 as a private non-profit corporation to license and commercialize technology developed by researchers at the university.
“STC is the springboard our faculty and student researchers need to commercialize new ideas,” said UNM President Louis Caldera. “They put the intellectual property of our researchers into the hands of entrepreneurs for development into products.”
A review of the STC technology commercialization program conducted by the UNM Bureau of Business and Economic Research shows that STC played a significant role in the development of 12 start-up companies in the physical and life sciences field.
Board Chairman Joesph Cecchi says, “An important part of STC’s mission is to support UNM’s inventive culture to benefit the state of New Mexico. This review clearly demonstrates the significant impact that STC has had on economic development in the region.”
The direct impact of STC to the New Mexico economy over the past decade is $21 million, and the employment of 73 people with an average salary of $80,000, well above the New Mexico average. Of the 12 start-up companies
STC has worked with, eight remain in the state.
They are:
MesoSystems Technology Inc. - Airborne biosafety and security products
Global Haptics, Inc. - Computer-mapping technology to shape and navigate in 3-D
Zia Laser, Inc. - Quantum dot lasers
Concise-Logic Inc. - Semiconductor design software
Qynergy Corporation - Power solutions for Microsystems
CoMeT Solutions - Computational modeling toolkit for engineering
Exagen Diagnostics Inc. - Genome marking tools
AVANCA Medical Devices - Medical devices and syringes
When indirect impacts are added, the total effect is to add $37 million to the New Mexico economy, resulting in the employment of 143 people. Much of the economic impact comes from the investment of $12.5 million from outside venture capital in New Mexico companies.
The companies have had combined sales of $8.8 million. STC Chief Executive Officer & President Lisa Kuuttila says, “The report demonstrates that STC is generating substantial impact for the New Mexico economy, even at a relatively early stage of its program. We expect this to be the beginning of even greater economic impact in New Mexico for the future.”
The full report can be accessed
online.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627
Ninety-four-year-old UNM alumna Concha Ortiz y Pino de Kleven has led a remarkable life, chronicled in a new, authorized biography by Kathryn Cordova titled, “¡Concha! Concha Ortiz y Pino: Matriarch of a 300-Year-Old New Mexico Legacy.” De Kleven and Cordova will appear at a book signing on Sunday, Dec. 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque.
Concha Ortiz y Pino de Kleven attended UNM as an older student after she helped pass legislation to establish the School of Inter-American Affairs. She enrolled at the school in 1942 at the age of 32 and became its first graduate. She was also a UNM faculty wife in the 1940s and ’50s, a college dean, the third woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature at the age of 26, the first woman ever elected majority whip in a state legislature, and during her tenure, helped pass significant legislation involving public school funding, bilingual education and women’s rights.
Five U.S. presidents appointed her to national councils and commissions; she was a board member of more than 60 organizations, including one of the original members of the New Mexico Arts Commission; she was inducted into the New Mexico Women’s Hall of Fame; Vista magazine designated her “Latina of the Century” in 1999, and a state building at 130 South Capitol Street was named for her this past summer.
Gran Via, Inc., the Santa Fe-based publisher of the Hispanic cultural quarterly magazine La Herencia, is publishing de Kleven’s biography; La Herencia’s Editor/Publisher, Ana Pacheco, said she decided to do “this book project about Concha’s life because she is truly a state treasure, and I want her to enjoy this tribute while she is still with us.
Her family’s history is woven into the fabric of New Mexico, and she has served this state consistently and unselfishly for decades. As Governor Richardson said when he dedicated the former National Education Association building in her name last August, throughout her life Concha ‘has worked to provide opportunities for her fellow citizens, she has fought for equality for women, and she has opened many doors that previously had been closed to her gender.’”
Ms. Pacheco also said that the 200-page biography contains 170 photographs (many never published before), a foreword by Governor Richardson, a Spanish-language summary at the beginning of each chapter, and a genealogy of the Ortiz y Pino family.
Cordova is a part time instructor at the Taos and Los Alamos branches of the University of New Mexico where she helped establish an associate program in communications and journalism. She is the author of four books and has received several education and publication awards.
Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920
UNM’s Employee Health Promotion Program (EHPP) offers an on-line tool to help staff, faculty and students stay healthy during the holidays.
The 12 Days of Wellness begins today – Wednesday, Dec. 1, and can be accessed from your desktop. Each day of the program a new page will be added to the EHPP Web site. Each page/day will include a wellness tip related to nutrition, exercise, general health, stress management, physical fitness, etc.
Each day will also have an activity for you to complete. Examples include: recording your cholesterol levels, taking your vitamins, stretching exercises, breathing exercises, and other things that you can do to check on your state of wellness. All activities are relatively easy. Participants will need to and record the activity as described.
Bring your calendar with 10 of the 12 activities completed to the EHPP potluck get-together on Friday, Dec. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., rm. 1102 in Johnson Center or if not attending, fax or drop your entry off at EHPP's office by 10:30 am on the Dec. 17 to be added to a contest drawing.
You need not be a participant in the EHPP 12 Days of Wellness to come to the potluck - some food, both to share and for the Roadrunner Food Bank, is your admission ticket.
For more information, visit EHPP and follow the 12 Days link.